Haye works with Ukrainian paper to get Vitali fight

By Boxing News - 02/11/2013 - Comments

haye#49By Scott Gilfoid: Showing signs of getting ever more desperate for a fight against WBC heavyweight champion Vitali Klitschko, former WBA heavyweight champion David Haye has reportedly chosen to send a message to the Ukrainian newspaper Vzglyad in an effort to pressure Vitali to fight him by trying to create a huge public demand for the fight in Vitali’s native Ukraine.

According to thesun.co.uk, Haye said “This position [of WBC heavyweight champion] carries the obligation to fight strong contenders who the public identify. That person is now me. You the Ukrainian sports fans know it, I know it, and Vitali knows it. You can help make this happen. Tell Vitali to stand up and represent his people, fight me and honor the wishes of the Ukrainian.“

It’s pretty unbelievable that Haye would stoop to this level to try and get a fight with the 41-year-old Vitali, but it shows you how truly desperate Haye is to get that fight before Vitali retires from the sport.

The thing is Haye is only ranked #5 by the World Boxing Council, and he’s hardly the most deserving of the contenders to get the fight. Vitali isn’t obligated to fight him just because Haye wants him to.

Haye hasn’t even redeemed himself since being badly beaten by Wladimir Klitschko in 2011. Haye has fought only once against a 2nd tier domestic level fighter in Dereck Chisora. Haye needs to get in line behind #1 Chris Arreola, #2 Bermane Stiverne, #3 Johnathon Banks and #4 Tyson Fury.

If I had it my way, I’d much prefer to see Fury get the fight with Vitali than Haye. At least the 6’9” Fury would have the size and the temperament to make it interesting. He would just run around the ring for 12 rounds like Haye did against Nikolay Valuev and Wladimir.

Haye needs to chill out because if he can slip in one or two more stay busy fights, he’ll be getting a rematch against Wladimir by 2014 because Haye is ranked #1 WBA, #2 WBO, #4 IBF. I mean, Haye is going to have to fight at least a couple of times while he waits for Wladimir before he’ll get a rematch against him, but it’ll be worth it.

He can’t just sit around and do nothing and expect his ranking to stay that way. It’s already been 7 months since Haye last fought and it doesn’t look like he’ll be fighting anytime soon.

Unless he gets lucky with Vitali, Haye could end up sitting out for ages while he waits for Wladimir, and there’s no telling whether the WBA, WBO and IBF will keep Haye’s ranking frozen where it is now if he’s just going to sit idle like a fat cat waiting for a meal come to him. He’s got to stay busy, even if it means beating up some of the fellow British heavyweight fodder in his country.

Haye should just do what David Price and Tyson Fury are doing by just looking to spot old and shot fighters, and just beating up on them in front of thousands of adoring fans who don’t realize that these are intentional mismatches to make Fury and Price look good.



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